I am very excited to welcome Damali Robertson, LifeLong’s new, and very first, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). This role was established to lead meaningful and sustainable systemic change to promote an equitable and inclusive environment for staff and patients across our organization and in alignment with LifeLong’s mission and core values.
Damali will work in partnership with key internal and external partners to foster a culture of DEIB throughout LifeLong. She will be responsible for launching and leading the DEIB committee to develop a workplan and establish key performance indicators, while providing oversight of DEIB initiatives across the organization.
Damali comes to LifeLong with deep experience in leading DEIB programming and institutional change. Most recently she was the Director of the Division of DEIB for the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) in San Francisco. There she led the decolonial DEIB programming and communication, along with designing and facilitating ongoing workshops and training for faculty, staff, and students. Damali remains an adjunct faculty member at CIIS. Prior to CIIS, Damali was Deputy Director of Root & Rebound, a legal advocacy organization committed to restoring power and resources to the families and communities most harmed by mass incarceration. While there, she collaborated with agency leaders to create innovative and inspiring initiatives that focused on racial justice and equity. For the past 16 years, Damali has worked in the nonprofit field with a focus on social justice, education, and community relations.
Damali is a poet and emerging filmmaker. She is also a mindfulness practitioner and circle keeper. Most importantly, Damali is a proud parent of two young adults and two feisty doggies. She lives in Oakland, and when Damali isn’t working, she loves traveling to new places, eating spicy food, and listening to Reggae or Hip-Hop music.
Please join me in welcoming Damali to the LifeLong team!
Sincerely,
David B. Vliet, MBA
Chief Executive Officer
